Erik in the new century
by Ingabritta
Summary: Erik tries to live a family life in London. This is about his children, the women he loves, and his friends. And is the Phantom again returning to the Paris opera? Please review. Adding one more chapter.
1. Visitors from Moscow and Family life?

**Visitors from Moscow (1889)**

Eleanor's and Erik's daughter Susan was born in September 1889. At the end of October the Bolsjoj ballet was coming to give a guest performance at Covent Garden, playing the Sleeping Beauty and other ballets. Among others the company consisted of Anna, Michail Nurinskij and a new choreographer called Igor Ragavich. Anna and Michail had written to Erik earlier, asking him to compose some music which could be used for a ballet and send it to them, and so he had.

Erik was eager to see his son again, now fourteen months old. He wasn't present to welcome the party at their arrival, but he attended a rehearsal one of the first days of their stay. He watched from behind the scene and heard for the first time the the new ballet music of Sleeping Beauty, composed by Pjotr Tjajkowskij. Anna and Michail were dancing. Her form was still slender and strong and he couldn't help feeling something inside as he saw her. A man wearing dark clothes, dark haired and vigorous,was studying them, stopped them sometimes, giving instructions. Erik watched the scene, then went up to them, applausing. The dark haired man immediately addressed him. "Mr Leroux? I'm so pleased to meet you. " He spoke with a strong accent. "I am Igor Ragavich, choregrapher at the Bolsjoj ballet. " He smiled and studied Erik a little curiously while shaking his hand. "Thank you for the music you sent to us. I have made a ballet out of it. How do you like the Sleeping Beauty?" – "It sounds good. And it looks good to." Anna came up to them followed by Michail and a female dancer. "So you introduced yourself, Igor" she said. Then she turned to Erik. "Hello. It's been a while. It's good to see you again." He took her hand and kissed it. "How are you?" – "I'm fine, thank you. My congratulations to your daughter. Can I see her? "- "Of course you can. Eleanor and I talked about inviting you home." They had been talking as if they were alone, but now Igor said "We will take a break now and meet again after lunch. Will you attend tonight' s performance, mr Leroux?" – "Yes I will, and so will my wife and our friends the Hargates." Igor left for the dressing rooms and said "Anna are you coming?" She moved slightly and Michail took the opportunity to shake Erik's hand. "Hello my friend. I'ts been some time." It had, Erik thought. Michail Nurinskij, leading dancer at Bolsjoj and one of the the persons he and Elisabeth had met and spent time with during their visit to Moscow, had hardly called him his friend at that time. He was then known as a ladies' man, he had courted Elisabeth and she had shown interest in him. He was also Annas dancing partner and friend. Together with them and a couple of others they had experienced a dangerous sleight adventure during their visit to Russia.

"Yes it has" he answered. "How are you now?" – "Just fine. Meet Nadja Narowa, my fiancée." The young blond dancer smiled and gave Erik her hand. "Nadja, could you please run along?" Michail said. "I would like to talk to mr Leroux for just a minute. " Nadja went towards the dressing rooms and tried to make Anna accompany her. Michail looked at Erik. "You know" he said "when Anna came back from London last year and I eventually knew what had happened, I was on my way here to strangle you. But she begged me not to and told me she wanted to have the baby. She loved you then." – "Yes" Erik felt embarrassed. "She didn' tell me until he was born. I had no idea.." – "Well I don't blame either of you really. She has been very strong. Now tell me about Elisabeth." – "What about her?" – "Do you think she will be happy to see me again?" Erik looked at him, still handsome in a primitive way. "I think she will enjoy meeting you. But she recently married, as you know, and she is expecting in a couple of months." – "I bet that makes her even more beautiful." Erik started to walk "and you have no children yet?" – "Alas, no. I haven't yet met the right mother. Nadja would certaintly not be one. I think she'll leave me soon." Michail went for the dressing room. Anna had waited for Erik. "Would you like to see Grisha?" she asked in a low voice. "He has been out with his nanny Katrina, but perhaps they are in now." He accompanied her to her dressing room, which now was occupied by a stout lady releaving a small boy from his outdoor clothes. "Mamushka!" the boy exclaimed. Anna lifted him and the boy looked at Erik with his big blue eyes. He was fairly blond and the birth mark beside his eye was still visible. Then he was shy and hid his face against his mothers chest, but then again looked at Erik who smiled at him and touched his hair. Anna spoke to him in Russian. Katrina looked suspiciously at them. "Are you all right?" Erik said softly. She looked at him and smiled. "Oh yes. I have my dance and my fine boy. Perhaps you have heard that Igor is my suitor. People look at us as an item. He is a charming man, perhaps a bit headstrong. I think he will be good for me and an excellent father for Grisha." – "And your revolutionary ideas?" – "Temporarily on hold. But I could enter the barricades again, you never know." – "I look forward to seeing you perform the new ballet to my music" he said. "And I would like to meet you all for dinner" she said. "I hardly remember Eleanor."

There was a knock at the door and Igor entered. "Anna, are you ready for lunch?" He stopped, looking at Erik and then at the boy. "I'm sorry. Yes, of course you want to meet the boy." He didn't sound as selfsecure as before. 'A delicate situation' Erik thought. "Will you have lunch with us mr Leroux?" - "Thank you, but no. I have to go. We'll meet later."

In the evening Eleanor and Erik, Elisabeth and Charles all went to see the performance. Afterwards they went behind the stage to meet the dancers. Both Anna and Igor greeted Eleanor with great interest. Michail took Elisabeth's hand and looked at her at length. She blushed. "You look wonderful" he said. She just nodded, not really knowing what to say.

The following evening they all attended the new ballet with Erik's music, choreographed by Igor. The music was modern and so was the ballet. Elisabeth sat at Erik's side. "Mr Ragavich seems very talented" she whispered "and social. Would you dare let him raise your son, if this will happen?" – "I trust him, but I don't think I have anything to say. And I don't know if she loves him. But it seems she has accepted him as her support. What about Michail?" – "Well, we just look at each other now, of course. But that's nice too. You take care of Eleanor instead, you never know about him!"

Elenanor and Erik invited the others for dinner. They all admired Susan, quietly sleeping in her bed. Erik played a little with Grisha, Anna and Eleanor watching him. Later in the evening the two ladies talked a lot and got to know each other. Eleanor confessed, a little reluctantly, that it was Grisha's birth that made her want a child of her own.

The guest performance lasted for three weeks. Igor asked Erik if he could compose more ballet music. One afternoon before the departure Igor asked Erik to keep him company having a glass of cognac in the bar. For a moment he was silent, then he spoke. "I want you to know that I value Anna very much" he said. "I dare even say that I love her. I will take good care of her and her son." – "I believe you" Erik said. "I have also noticed" Igor continued " that she still seems to be in love with you. I hope time will change that. You don't mind my relationship with her?" – "No, why should I? Of course I will do my duty and pay for the boy. " –"You don't have to. You have your own family. If Anna and I marry I will also take responsibility for the boy. But of course you are still his biological father." – "You are a tolerant man" Erik said. "It wasn't meant to happen, you know." – "I want all the best for Anna " Igor said. "It was interesting to make your acquaintance. I really appreciate your music. "

When they said goodbye Anna said "Next time you are welcome to Moscow. I think Eleanor would appreciate to come there." Elisabeth and Michail managed to change a few words alone. "I wish you good luck" he said. "I would like to hear from you again." – "And I so wish that you will find a woman to really love who wants to give you children."

In the end of November Elisabeth and Charles had a son, who they called Robert. In spring the year after Erik received a letter from Anna, telling him that she and Igor had got married.

________

**Family Life? (1896)**

Susan grew up a talented child. She was extremely musical and helped her father composing at the age of five. When Susan was three years old Erik and Eleanor had a son, who they called Richard. He was a blond, normal child and when he grew older some people said he had a certain resemblance to the operasinger Paul Chevalier. Some claimed to remember that mr Leroux had been to Stockholm the year before the boy was born. But this, of course, was perhaps mere gossip. Christine and Jeanette came to London to visit a couple of times, and Erik felt as if he at last had laid his old passion behind him.

The summer of 1896 was warm and the Leroux family spent it at their country house at Winston. Eleanor had called the children in for dinner as Erik returned from London. "Well what have you been doing today, children?" he said at the dinner table. "Susan?"- "Well I've been in my tree house, composed a little more of my opera, played the piano .. and Ricky destroyed one of my figures" – "Didn't mean'o"the boy said with food in his mouth "but theyr'e so fine, just wonned to look.." – "I think I can mend it. And what have you done?" – "Played with Caesar.. found frogs.. Sussi doesn't want me climb up to her tree house." –"That's as well" Eleanor said "you might fall down." – "Sussi made the swan talk to me" Ricky added "funny!" Eleanor threw her daughter a dark glance. She didn't like the girl showing off her premature talents in ventriloquism. "They expect my new composition by tomorrow" Erik said. "I'll finish it after dinner."

Having read Ricky a bedtime story Erik sat down by the piano and played his new piece. When he came to a difficult passage which he had altered several times he played it slower and suddenly he repeated the part a few times. "Susan! Come here!" – "Yes father?" – "Have you made changes in my score? I don't remember writing it like this." – "But that's how you want it, isn't it?" Erik looked at his daughter. "It is. But I don't want you to alter my music without telling me. " – "No father." He met her look not really knowing what went on within the girl's head. He was not surprised that she, already, was the one with whom he could discuss all musical matters the best. He was only afraid what would happen when she grew older. "Thank you for your help, anyway" he said. "When I'm finished I will mend your doll." – "It's not a doll, it's an opera figure" she said in a low voice.

Later in the evening when the children had gone to sleep Erik said "Are you sure you don't want to come with me to Paris? We could go all of us." – "No, it's better for you to go alone. It's too difficult to travel with the children. And it's about your daughter." – "Yes, but perhaps you want to listen to her too?" Eleanor looked at him. "You want to go alone. Do it."

Jeanette was performing at a concert in Paris for young musical students. Now Erik didn't hesitate to go to Paris showing himself to other people. He didn't stay in his old house, where he had not been for a very long time, but stayed at a hotel. But he still felt a little uncomfortable and preferred to stay in his room as much as possible. He appreciated very much listening to Jeanette and to her young musical friends. Some of them played the piano or the violin and some of them sang. Jeanette was by far the most talented singer and he was glad that he had come to listen to her. Jeanette was very pleased that he came. She always appreciated to meet her "Uncle Erik". She was now fourteen, growing to be a beautiful young lady and also beginning to see Erik as an old man. After the concert she asked if they could meet the next day. "I will make contact" Christine said.

In the evening Erik, sitting comfortably in his hotel room sofa, pondered if he should visit his old house after all. He fell asleep and woke up at a knock on the door. Christine entered quietly. "I told you I would contact you" she said. She sat down on a chair oppsite him. "Did you like to hear Jeanette singing?" – "Very much. In a few years she will be just like you when I saw you for the first time. When will you tell her that I'm her father?" – "It's too early yet. Perhaps when she is eighteen." Christine rose and went to a mirror, then released her hair which still chestnut brown covered her shoulders. "It's been fifteen years, you know" she said. " – "Don't talk to me about time, I feel age coming." She sat down again. "Tell me about your children." They talked for an hour. Erik took off his mask and run his hand though his hair, now more gray than black. "I wonder if Eleanor finds me too old?" he said. She rose and replied "We are not growing younger either". She sat down by his side. "I wonder how life had turned out if I had come to live with you when you asked me. Had we been happier? Some people surely had been more unhappy." She touched his hair. "I can understand some people see you as old, but I don't." Erik had believed that his feelings for her were gone, but now they came back, even stronger. "I will not go home tonight" she whispered. "Who knows when we will meet again?" She caressed his cheek, very slowly, to give them time to find their feelings for each other again. Had he forgotten? No. When they finally kissed the passion was as strong as ever before.  
The next morning they woke up in bed together. "Now I feel as if I could defy all conventions" she said. "It's been too long. We should meet more often." - "Now you say this. Now I'm the one with small children wanting to keep my family together. I told Eleanor this would never happen again." – "And she believed you? Will you tell her?"- "Perhaps she suspects it. She let me come here alone."- "How long will it be until she finds herself a younger man?" – "Don't speak ill of her. We are happy together and she will take care of me when I grow old."

Later in the day he went sightseeing with Christine and Jeanette. "Do you remember something you said when you were six?" he asked his daughter. "You said 'are you married mr Leroux? Then there will be children, it usually happens.' And you were right." – "I don't remember saying that" she said. "But I would like to meet your children again."

When Erik returned home Eleanor asked him nothing about Christine and he said nothing. In the autumn he began to spend more time at the opera planning new performances and teaching.

______

**(1896 – November)**

"I can understand if you go to Paris to see Christine" Eleanor said one evening to her husband when the children had gone to bed "and I can stand it when you go to Stockholm with Kristina, but I can't accept" and now her voice was filled with rage "your having an affair with a woman ten years younger than I am! You are forty years older than she. That's absurd!" Erik shook his head. "We are not having an affair. I love her voice. We like singing together." She looked at him sharply. "But you have made love, haven't you?" No use to lie any more. He nodded. "Why? I'll tell you why – because you want to prove to yourself that you are still attractive to women, that your'e not old. And she admires you, I think she has done that for a long time. But I don't want to stand here beside you, see you two together.." He held out his hand. "Eleanor, you have put up with me for a long time, longer than anybody else. Do you want to leave me now?" He knew she was right. It had started innocently, when they performed Carmen for the first time and Josephine Daly got the much wanted role as the passionate dark-eyed gypsy. She sang for him and he listened. Later she came to his room, giving him a private performance, they sang the segudilla together and finished it with a kiss. Josephine no longer was scared of him but instead interested, and his air of mystic and musical pondus made him a challenge for her. And of course Eleanor was right – he wanted to prove to himself that he could still attract a woman. Having seen him without his mask she hesitated at first, but not for long. And their late night duets were followed by his visits to her lofty white bedroom and soft bed. Once again he was surprised that he managed to satisfy a young woman like her, but he thought it perhaps was due to the drug, which he still took to keep him from aging too fast. After a month he began to have remorses. And now that she had reached her goal Josephine's interest began to fade. But the story had not passed unnoticed and the gossip spread at the opera. When it reached Eleanor's ears the affair was already over.

" I have nothing to say in my defence"he said. "Would it be possible for you to forgive me?" She said nothing. "Eleanor, have you loved someone else since we met? Have you ever wanted to leave me? Would you be honest to me, although I have not been honest to you?" She felt an urge to ease her conscience. "I think you know" she said. "when you were in Stockholm that autumn and Elisabeth and Charles invited me to the opera ball. The rumours about Paul – they were true. It was a hasty infatuation. I surrendered and then I resisted. He wanted to go on seeing me, wanted me to divorce you for his sake. But I didn't want to." When Erik tried to speak she said "I can't tell if it's you or Paul who is Richard's father. But it doesn't matter, does it? It's you who raise him. Although Paul wanted to believe Richard is his son." Erik touched his wife's hand. "So we both have things to be ashamed of. Let us stick together a little longer, if we can. When I was in Paris this summer I refused an offer from Christine to see her more often. Now I have been completely honest with you." Eleanor smiled faintly. "Well I think that was a sacrifice.. so I'll stick with you. I love you." – "I love you too" he said."

Paul Chevalier looked at his colleague Josephine, as they sat down to rest after a well attended performance of Carmen, and remarked "It's not until now that I see how beautiful you are, and how talanted.. before you were just another singing partner, but now.." She studied him "What is it, handsome Paul? Have all your admirers abandoned you? Are you tired of them?" – "Oh no, they swarm around me as always. It's you I'm talking about. You have grown mature.." She looked away for a moment, then looked at him again. "I know what it is" she said. "I know why your'e interested in me all of a sudden. It's because I was mr Leroux' mistress. Your'e envious. Because he had me, you want me too. But what about the gossip of you and mrs Leroux?" – "What do they say about her? How dare they talk bad of a woman like her, modest, lovely.." – "Whom you loved?" –"Yes I did. But she went back to her husband. Josephine – isn't he very old?" She smiled. "No, strangely enough he doesn't seem old. Actually he's still very good…". –"So, we have to be content with the fact that the two of us are the ones who for a short while managed to be the favorites of the famous mr and mrs Leroux.


	2. Jeanette

**Jeanette (1901)**

In the early summer of 1901 the Leroux family had moved to Winston for the summer holidays. Eleanor and Richard had begun riding and they hired horses from a nearby stable. Caesar, now old and tired, sometimes followed them on their ride. Susan didn't like riding but stayed at home, playing the piano or sketching. She was very good at drawing houses, another skill inherited from her father.

In the evening they sat in front of the fire. "Isn't it time for bed?" Eleanor asked her son, ruffling his blond hair. "Soon, mummy". She sat down beside Erik. "Are you really going to Paris alone? What if i'ts too tiring for you? Can't you have Charles accompany you?" Erik looked irritated. "We have talked about this before. I don't need any company, I'm not too old. And Charles wouldn't be a good choice. He is not supposed to know." Eleanor put a finger on her mouth. "Wasn't you going to bed, Ricky?"- "Yes mother. Good night then!" – "Good night darling!" When Richard had left the room Erik said "I don't know what Elisabeth has told Charles over the years, but I don't want to blurt out to him that Jeanette is my daughter. " – "And your'e going to Paris to celebrate her eighteenth birthday" Susan said from behind. "Can't I come with you?" – "That's not appropriate" he said. "You are not supposed to know anything." – "But you know you can't keep anything from me. Are you going to tell her now?" – "That is the idea." – "I hope she will come here again soon. I long to meet her – my half sister. She's such a good singer." Eleanor was not pleased that Erik was going to Paris but she knew she couldn't protest. Jeanette was going to be eighteen. She was surprised that Susan found it natural. How Susan knew she didn't know. She just seemed to be everywhere all the time.

Erik rose. "Perhaps I look old" he said "but I don't feel like it. I am capable of more than you believe." – "I think you have reconciled to your age" Eleanor said. "It's good you don't dye your hair any more. It seemed a little ridiculous." – "That was only when he courted Josefine" Susan remarked "to look a little younger." – "Susan, you're terrible!" her mother said. "Where do you pick up everyting? Running around at the opera." – "I get to feel the atmosphere. And I hear all the gossip. I'm not a child anymore, I'm twelve. I can tell you about Paul Chevalier's latest conquest if you like.." – "Now be quiet" Erik said sharply. "Just because you hear something you don't have to tell. To keep a secret is a proof of maturity." Susan bowed her head."Yes father." Eleanor realized, just like before, that her father was the only authority that Susan recognized.

Erik prepared mentally for this trip to Paris. This was the one he had planned for so long, when finally he would tell Jeanette that she was his daughter. This was the moment for which he had stayed alive. At least it was so planned from the beginning. He should have stayed at his house beneath the opera waiting for this. He would have brought her down to see the cavern with all it's lights. But life had turned out so differently. He had ended up in London, a well known composer and a family man. Jeanette or Christine were no longer all he lived for. Even his feelings for Christine had once again become part of the past. How would it be to see her again?

He returned to the same hotel where he had stayed the last time, five years ago. To his surprise the suite wasn't empty. In the saloon a small table was laid, lit up only by candle lights. There was a bottle laying on ice and soft music filled the room. He entered. From the inner room a woman in a yellow dress came out, Christine. "Welcome Erik" she said "May I invite you to supper?" She went up to him and he took her hands and kissed them. His heart started to beat harder again. "Please sit down." She poored the champagne and they ate. "Now it's been a long time again" she said. "Yes, when you and Jeanette visited us in London two years ago. " – "Yes, but the last time you and I met in private, that's five years ago, in this room. And you said you didn't want a relationship with me. " – "It seemed the most appropriate at the time. Now I don't think it matters any more. Now I'm too old." She lifted her glass and looked at him. "That remains to be seen". His thoughts touched the other room – and he still felt a thrill of expectation.

He told her about London. "The members of the opera board change into younger people all the time. I just expect them to ask me to leave as well." – "There have been changes here as well" she said. "Messrs Firmin and André have retired. We have a new director, mr Lasalle. He was very curious of the old story about the Phantom of the opera. Firmin and André didn't want to tell him, so he asked me." Erik looked at her attentively. "I said that it's my belief that the Phantom had died there, at his underground lair. Perhaps he will go down to look for it. Then it's good you have taken everything away. Or perhaps you could look him up and tell him who you are?" – "I don't want to spoil the legend. It's much better with an exciting story about the Phantom who haunted the opera house long ago than the same Phantom showing up as a harmless greyhaired pensioner." Christine took his hand. "Do you know what I celebrate today? It's twenty years since you brought me down below the opera for the first time. Twenty years since that infamous night.." – "and twenty years since you married Raoul. Have you celebrated that too?" – "Not yet. We will do it in the autumn. You know I'm split in two – yours and Raoul's." – "But it's nineteen years since you really became mine. And eighteen years since Jeanette was born. " – "And we will celebrate that tomorrow. Raoul understands that we will do this together, the three of us. " – "Shall we tell her tomorrow? That I'm her father." – "I think she has the right to know. I wonder how she will react.." They were quiet for a while. Then Christine said "Tell me about your family. What's Eleanor doing?" – "She writes novels. I think she would like to go back to being a journalist. Ricky is a healthy boy." – "and Susan?"- "Music is all to her and she likes to draw, complicated buildings for example. She takes after me a lot. But I don't think she will be an infant prodigy. She is aware of everything, sees everything and thinks like an adult. She knows about Jeanette." – "Have you seen Gregorij lately?" – "Not since we were in Moscow, six years ago. But Anna writes about him. He is good at dancing and has participated in some performances. The whole family, Igor, Anna, Gregorij and his sister Irina will come to London this autumn." – "Including that charming man who was soft for Elisabeth?"- "Michail. Yes he will come too. I believe he has a new fiancée now."

They talked about opera repertoires. "Opera Populaire will give La Boheme and I'm going to play Mimi, although perhaps I'm too old." – "We are also giving La Boheme. Elisabeth will be our Mimi and Josephine will play Musette." – "Who is Josephine? I heard of her when I was in London. Some gossip?" – " She is one of the young talents. Well perhaps not so young anymore. Her voice had an impact on me like yours and Elisabeth's. I admit I made a fool of myself, playing young lover again. But she didn't mind. And it didn't last for long. We are friends now and she has new young admirers. She was with Paul Chevalier for a while." –"Who is he?" – "One of our leading tenors and a real charmer. Eleanor likes him very much." - "Do you compose anything?" – "I have ideas for a new opera." –"Well I suppose you have a lot to do. Not so much time to miss me. Tomorrow we will have dinner with Jeanette at a restaurant and then go to a concert."

They rose from the table. "Thank you for the supper, Christine." He reached for her. "You are wrong when you say I don't miss you. Sometimes I regret I said I did't want to meet you so often. What was my affair with Josephine but a hidden longing for you?"

Christine came into his arms. She removed his mask and laid her arms around his neck. "Your'e not growing any handsomer" she said "but I'm used to you and I love you. I will get wrinkles too." She kissed him and he held her tight. He felt dizzy and his passion for her filled him again. He wondered if his heart would stand the passion. But it did, and neither this time Christine was disappointed.

"Raoul doesn't miss you?" he asked the next morning. Her head rested against his arm. "He knows where I am. This is the price he pays for my staying with him. " – " How will Jeanette react when she learns Raoul is not her father?" – "I hope she will understand. They have a good relationship and I hope this will not change. "

In the afternoon they met at one of the most famous restaurant in Paris. Erik kissed Jeanette's cheek and gave her a small present. She opened it at the dinner table and found a beautiful silver necklace with small diamonds. "How beautiful! Thank you very much!" At dinner Jeanette told him that she would join the opera chorus in the autumn. "So now I will become a singer, just like mother." Erik spoke about his family and about Susan. "How come we are ones to celebrate my birthday like this and not the whole family? Why does Erik never come to visit us?" Jeanette asked. "Your question is a good one" Erik said." It helps a little with what we are going to tell you, your mother and I." – "What? That you're not just a friend but a rich uncle who I will inherit eventually?" – "More than that. I am your father." Jeanette was quiet. She looked at her mother, then at Erik. "But.. I don't understand .. you were not married before.. or .." – "It's difficult to explain if I don't tell the whole story, and I don't think I would like to do that just yet" Christine said. "But – Erik and I met – under certain circumstances – I loved him and we lived together for a short while. That's when you were created. Then I went back to Raoul, we were already married. He agreed to raise you as his own child. But I promised Erik that you would once know that he is your father. " – "This thought has always kept me alive" Erik said tenderly." I haven't always been as well off as I am now. Once a long time ago I wanted to kill myself. The thought of you saved me. You must admit I haven't neglected you." – "I have always liked you. When your life was bad, was that because of your face?" He nodded. "Then I have my musicality from you. But Raoul?" – "You must go on treating him as your father. He has been very tolerant. " – "Now I understand why you two woun't meet. " Erik put his hand on his daughters. "Susan knows that you is her half-sister. That's why she would like to meet you." – "What does your wife say?"- "She has always known about you and she knows I go here to see you sometimes. She doesn't like it but she accepts." – "None of us has inherited your disfiguration" Jeanette said. "That's not the whole truth" Erik said hesitating. "I might as well give a full confession. You have another half-sibling, a young dancer at the Bolsjoj ballet. He is the son of Anna, a dancer I met first in Moscow and then in London. It was ment to be a nostalgic reunion but the consequences were bigger than we expected. Now she is married and has a daughter too. Sometime I will tell him about me, but not yet." – "And they will come to London this autumn" Christine said. "Yes, then you can come and meet Gregorij and Susan. He has a birthmark but not at all like mine. " – "Does Susan know about her brother?" – "Not yet."

After dinner they went to the concert. Jeanette took Erik's arm. "I must admit I was upset by what I just learned. But now I am proud of my new-found father. " – "Just inofficial, my girl" ha said "you must still refer to Raoul as your father." They enjoyed the concert and left the theater in a good mood. "Must we go home now?" Jeanette said. "I would very much like to show you something" Erik said "but I hesitate. It depends on how much you think you can take in one day. It's about my past."- "Do you really want to tell?" Christine said. "You know I have always wanted to show Jeanette. It might be my last visit ever. I don't want to go there alone." – "Now you make me curious" Jeanette said. "What are you talking about?" – "My secret. Which you can never ever tell anyone. Promise?" – "Promise on everything I love. Cross my heart and hope to die. What is it?" – "Then let's go. It's not far. We can go through the opera house." – "Are we going to the opera?" – "Yes. Christine, can you take us inside?" They managed to get in. Erik looked for a secret passage and soon he found one which was still open. "Come on. Do you dare?" They went down the passage. "Where are we going?" -"You will see. " He lit the paraffin lamps. "Are we going to the cellar? Have you been here before?" – "Yes. It's my passage. I helped build it. I was one of the workers on this building. Now, you will soon see.." They had arrived to the cavern and he turned on the electric lake and the high ceiling flowed in light. Jeanette gasped "How marvellous! I didn't know this existed, down below the opera house. " – "There is my old house. It must be unhabitable now. Shall we take a look?" The door creaked. Inside there was nothing but the organ. Jeanette looked around. "Who lived here?" – "I did, for many years. Your mother and I lived here together for one month nineteen years ago." – "But why?" – "I did'nt want to show my face to anyone. But I managed the opera from here, the directors obeyed my biddings. I was evil then, I had been far away, lived through so much, killed people.." – "Mr Lasalle, the new manager, asked about the old story of the Phantom of the opera, didn't he? He wanted to know if it was true. " Jeanette looked at her mother. "And the story was about you – the Phantom captured you and father saved you. In a house below the opera.." Suddenly her face showed fear. "The Phantom with his disfigured face, it's you, Erik." Christine put her arms around her daughter. "Calm down" she whispered. "I'm not the same now" he said sharply."I have had twenty years to forget it all, to repress my old life, to make amends. Your mother saw, even after a year, that I had changed. You cannot judge me because of old things." – "I don't judge you" Jeanette whispered. "But it was such a shock. Is there anything else you hide from me, the Phantom's daughter?"- "You must understand that this is a secret. We are only a few who know that this house still exists. " – "Does Susan know about you being the Phantom?" – "Not yet. I'd rather she didn't know." – "Will you play the organ?" He tried and managed to get some melodies out of it, but it didn't sound very good. Jeanette left the house and looked out over the lake. "It's so beautiful" she said. "You couldn't have been all evil if you made this." –"Sing for me" Erik said. "Ever since you were born I have wanted to hear you sing here by the lake, in this cavern." She began to sing and her voice filled the whole cave. Christine sat down on the stairs. Erik sat down below her and rested his head in her lap. She stroke his hair. "I have longed for this, and now it has come true" he said and closed his eyes.

Erik stayed in Paris for a couple of days and they visited the house again. Then he closed it down for good. When he returned to Winston Elisabeth was there visiting. He made sure the children weren't present and then he said "Now I have told Jeanette the thruth, even about the Phantom. At first she was shocked but she took it good. She wants to come here and see Susan. " – "I suppose it's alright" Eleanor said. "I'll have to get used to that she wants to come here and meet her half-siblings." – "You will like her. This autumn she starts singing in the opera chorus. Where is Susan? I must tell her."

Later in the summer Jeanette came to Winston alone, and she and Susan had a good time together. In the autumn the Leroux family went back to London.


	3. Gregorij

**Gregorij (1901 autumn)**

In the end of September the company of dancers from Bolsjoj were due to come to London. Erik prepared himself mentally. One afternoon he went into Susan's room. "I would like to tell you something" he said "because I think that you will find out anyway, and because I know that you feel like me, you are a part of me." Susan looked at him. "Yes father, I'm all ears." – "As you know the Bolsjoj ballet is coming here, including our friends the Ragavich family." – "I know of them, yes. You write to each others sometimes and you have sent them ballet music." – "Gregorij, the son in the family, is one year older than you. This is about him. He is my son." – "Father, you shock me. Do you have more children around Europe, or..?" – "Those I have are quite enough. Nothing to joke about, really." Susan looked as him with interest. "Tell me." – "I met Anna, Gregorij's mother, in Moscow when Elisabeth and I were there. Then she came to London. It was just when Elisabeth and I had broken up and I was a little sad. Christine also seemed so far away at the moment. Anna was very fond of me and she was sweet and devoted.. it happened once. She didn't tell me about Gregorij until he was born. Then I had already met your mother. And later Anna married Igor and they had a daughter."- "Have you seen him?" – "A few times. Last time was when Eleanor and I were in Moscow six years ago. But he has grown since then. He has a birth mark, although much smaller than mine. I don't know if he looks like me." – "It's so exiciting! I really look forward to meeting him. Will you tell him?" – "No. I don't want to now. We will wait until he has grown up."- "But you are telling me?" Erik bent forward and took Susan's hands. "I don't know why. But I feel as if you are my true heir." – "I feel like that too." – "Jeanette will come and see him too. She also knows. But none of you must tell him." – "I promise, father."

Later Susan told her brother Richard "We have to start study Russian. We will have guests from Moscow, a boy called Gregorij and a girl just your age, Irina. You could learn to speak with her. " – "Girls" Richard said with comtempt.

Jeanette arrived in London a week before the ballet company. One evening the said to her father "M. Lasalle, the new opera manager at Opera populaire, has really become obsessed with the Phantom of the opera-story. He has asked around and he has been down to your house. But now that it seems abandoned perhaps he will believe that the Phantom no longer exists."- "I really hope so. I thought everything could be forgotten." – "Can't you come back and haunt again? Just a little? Saying that no-one can sit in box five?" Erik looked tired. "You don't know what your'e talking about. It wasn't a pleasure you know..". She smiled. "Perhaps something else or someone else will appear? The Phantom's daughter for example." – "You wouldn't dare!"

A week later the company from Bolsjoj arrived. The day after their arrival Erik went to the opera to meet them. Anna spotted him at once and went up to him. "Erik, how good to see you!" She hugged him and put he cheek against his. He felt her softness. They looked at each other. She too had grown older, but her long hair was still blond. Igor appeared and grabbed Erik's hand. "How are you, old friend?" – Erik greated him. "Could you use any of the music I sent you for new ballets?"- "I have done so. We will perform them here, just you wait." Anna had fetched the children. She put her hand on the shoulder of a young man, just a little shorter than herself. He looked good, his hair had darkened and his eyes were still blue. The birth mark was light red beside his right eye."And this is Gregorij" she said with pride." Mr Erik Leroux, composer and musician, member of the opera board and a long time friend of mine." – "How do you do, mr Leroux" Gregorij said without smiling. He looked at his mask. So far they had spoken English. Erik answered in Russian "How do you do, Gregorij. Welcome to London." He held the boy's hand in his and smiled at him. Finally Gregorij showed a faint smile. Anna presented her daughter "This is Irina." The girl was blond and looked just like her mother. Erik spoke with her for a while in Russian which he and Susan had practiced a lot lately and told her about his children.

"We are playing the Nutcracker suite with Michail in the leading role" Anna said. "Perhaps this will be his last season." – "Why?" – "He's getting old. Lot's of young dancers want to climb to the top now. Have you met him yet?" – "No." In that moment Michail joined the company together with a dark haired woman with exotic looks. He took Erik's hand. "Erik, my old rival! Nice to see you again." He noticed that the dancer looked older and a little worn. "Meet Svetlana Vranskij, my fiancée, prima ballerina like Anna." Erik took her hand. In the corner of his eye he saw Elisabeth approaching and said to Svetlana "Would you like me to show you around?" –"Yes, please, if it's no trouble to you?" – "No, I'd like to. This way please." Astonished Michail looked around and then he saw Elisabeth. She had stopped. He came up to her and took her hands. She smiled at him, but her eyes widened as she saw his face. "I can see that you find me old." – "You look different. Perhaps you could say mature." – "But you are beautiful as always." He felt his heart beat faster. "You are just like I remember you." He still held her hands in his and she didn't want him to let go. She felt trapped. "Have you now found a woman to love and start a family with?" she asked. "No. Only new ingenues, admirers, perhaps too many, until Svetlana seized me by my neck and decided she wanted me for a fiancé." – "That's not a nice thing to say." She took her hands back. "I have missed you, Elisabeth" he said softly. "But I haven't heard anything from you." – "What could I say, to a married woman and mother?" Slowly they moved up to the rest of the company. Erik returned with Svetlana. The ladies shook hands. Svetlana studied Elisabeth. Was she used to her fiancé looking at other women?

The dancers went for rehearsal and Erik and Elisabeth left. "Thank you for letting me see him alone" she said. "But I was a little upset. Could you grow old like that in twelve years?" – "Perhaps he has led a hard life."

Erik brought his family, including Jeanette, to see the Nutcracker in the evening. Afterwords they went behind the stage to meet the dancers. Anna was impressed by Erik's two beautiful daughters. Susan was curious to meet Gregorij. "Hello" she said in slow Russian. "I liked watching you dance. You are very good." – "Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. I have trained a lot. My parents want me to be a famous dancer." – "And I play the piano and would like to be a great pianoplayer. My sister sings." – "Your sister?" – "Yes. Oh, it's difficult to speak Russian. Do you speak English?" –"Yes a little." Susan continued the conversation in English. "Why are you so interested in me?" he asked. "Well, my parents know you parents and my father knew you when you were little – and I would like to know young people in other countries. Will you not be my friend? Do you ever laugh?" Now he smiled a little. "Perhaps I'm the serious kind" he said and touched his eye. "Are you ashame of that? It's nothing." She lowered her voice "then you should see my father".

The ballet company stayed for a couple of weeks. One evening Erik and Eleanor invited their friends for dinner. Susan and Gregorij had gotten to know each other and even Richard tried to speak to and play with Irina. Jeanette watched Gregorij when he didn't notice and saw that he had a certain resemblance with their mutual father. At the dinner table Erik said "For those of you who don't know I will tell you once and for all that Jeanette is my daughter. Not Eleanor's – Jeanette's mother lives in Paris. "- 'Well, well' Charles thought ' no-one had told him, but he could guess..'. And Igor seemed to think 'So Gregorij is not his only escapade'.

After dinner Igor and Svetlana had an animated conversation and Michail sneaked up to Elisabeth. "I would like so see you more now that I am here at last" he said. "But how and when?" – "Could it even be possible? Doesnt' Svetlana watch you all the time?" – "We could if we try. "-"Perhaps.." It surprised her that his presence still affected her. He stroke her hand. "I'd like to talk" he said.

Another night the company danced to Erik's music. He felt that the choreographer and dancers had captured the sense of his music. "It's very modern" Susan remarked. Afterword she handed a bouquet of flowers over to Gregorij, and he appreciated it.

One afternoon Gregorij saw Erik in his office. "My mother has spoken so much about you, mr Leroux, and I feel honored to meet you. They say we have met before but I don't remember that." – "No, you were to young. I'm glad you like coming here. I have always cared about your mother and her wellbeing. And my daugther Susan likes you very much. " Gregorij touched his cheek. "I have always been ashamed of my birth mark. But it must me even worse for you, if what Susan says is right."- "I'm used to it now and people are used to see me wearing a mask. But I have suffered earlier, very much." – "Would you like to show me?" – "You should be grateful that you don't see me. Ask Susan." Gregorij blushed. "I'm sorry." – "Don't. I appreciate very much to meet you and talk to you. I will follow you carrier with great interest. "

Robert Hargate, the son of Elisabeth and Charles, who was the same age as Susan, studied at a boarding school and was home on vacation. Susan brought him to see the Nutcracker. "Isn't he good?" she asked him about Gregorij. " – "Yes. But why are you so interested in him all of a sudden? I thought you liked me?" – "Are you jealous already?" – "I did'nt mean it like that. I just wonder why you are interested?" But Susan couldn't tell him.

Michail had managed to take Elisabeth to a café one afternoon. They sat at a small table. "Thanks for wanting to see me" he said. She laid a hand on his. "I'm sorry you haven't found a woman to marry and have children with. " – "I am sorry too. Instead there were too many of them, and either I or they grew tired. But I have thought of you. With you I could have raised a family." – "Why me? You could have grown tired of me too. " – "But when I think of happiness I always think of you." She shook her head. "You have made up an image of me, a woman of dreams not at all like reality. We just had a short romance in Moscow some fifteen years ago, remember, and nothing really happened. " – "But our kisses.." – "Yes.. it's so strange but it still feels exciting to meet you. I thought I had forgotten you. Not quite, obviously". –" I hope to see more of you. Just that makes me happy."

There was a grand party at the opera house, when the old manager mr Gray would retire and be succeeded by a mr Hammond. The whole opera staff was invited, dressed in white tie and evening gowns. Susan and Jeanette mingled among the guests, Susan telling her sister all the gossip of the people around them. "There is Kristina Nilsson, countess Casa de Miranda, from Sweden, and her husband. And the handsome man over there is Paul Chevalier. My mother fancied him once. Now he's engaged to a wealthy lady." Susan said hello to Josephine Daly and her fiancée David. "Father used to court Josephine once but you mustn't say that aloud."

At the dinner table Igor asked Erik "Will you also retire?" – "I try too. I still teach but I think I'll stick to composing now. I have plans to build a small house in France, near the coast." Jeanette listened. She hadn't heard of any such plans.

Then the dancing began. Erik danced with Anna. "It's been fifteen years since we danced at New years eve in Moscow" she said. "It doesn't feel that long. But we are all getting old." – "And Gregorij is our bond. I'd like to live to see him grow up and be famous." – "It's also fifteen years since Elisabeth and Michail met in Moscow and I can still see the glow between them as they dance" she said looking at the couple passing them. "Or perhaps it's a new flame."

Susan and Gregorij danced. Being a dancer he was very good at it, and Susan enjoyed it very much.

Later in the evening, after having distributed their favours to husband, fiancée and colleagues, Eliabeth and Michail danced again. She felt his intensity and strength and it frightened and confused her. She felt weak and out of control. If temptation came her way she didn't know if she could resist this time. Before parting they agreed to meet once more at a café.

Two days before the departure of the ballet company, Elisabeth found herself covering her face sneaking up the stairs of an obscure hotel while Michail paid and took the key. She had never been in such a place but found it accurate to be were she had never been to do what she had never done. The room was cold and sparsely furnished. The big iron bedstead dominated the room. Hesitating she took off her hat and coat. Then she felt Michails arms around her and she turned warm. He kissed her more fervent than he had ever done. She caressed his neck and shoulders and he began to unbutton her blouse. The bed creaked as they fell down on it heavily. She felt as if their almost-not-and long-supressed love finally blossomed, she surrendered to his heat and desperation. She experienced things she never had before. "I didn't hurt you?" he said. "No, but I don't know what you have done to me. I'm not sure of anything anymore."

"Elizaveta" he said later "I want you to come with me to Moscow." She shook her head. "No, I can't leave my family. Not for this hasty flame." – "For me it's not hasty. Elisabeth, please give me a child.." She looked startled. "Not now, I'm too old." – "You don't know if it's already happened" – "No, no" He kissed her again. "I love you" he said. It was the first time ever he had said it to her and she was stunned. "I have to see you again" he said. "In February I will go to Vienna. Please meet me there. You could make a guest performance." She felt the tears coming. "I promise" she said. "We will meet in Vienna."

When the company left Susan had already promised Gregorij that the whole family would come to visit in Moscow in the spring.

Before Jeanette returned to Paris she asked her father "what were you saying about building a house in France?" – "I have plans to build a house" he said "near the coast or perhaps outside Paris." – "Then I could make the plans, couldn't I?" Susan asked. Eleanor looked all but pleased. Later, being alone with her husband, she asked "Why will you build in France? What about our villa at Winston?" – "Winston is for you and the children. Now that I stop working at the opera and only spend my days composing I have time to be both in France and in Winston." She turned her back to him. "Is it to be close to her again?" – "Yes" he said honestly "that's right. Will you not let me have that? Thirteen years we have lived happily together you and I. You have always known of my love for Christine. And I'm getting old. I don't know for how long I will live, and I want to see her more. Do you understand me?" Eleanor turned around and faced him. "I'm so sorry. Forgive me for being mean to you, it's the old jealousy speaking. I have no right to reproach you." Erik touched her cheek. "You will always be my wife" he said."Now when Richard is older, wouldn't you like to go back to work at the newspaper again?" – "I have given it a thought. I'm sure Charles could help me come back. I could review music." –" Winston we will keep for Susan and Richard" – "And you don't want me to come to the villa in France?" – "I don't think you want to. There I will lead my other life, seeing Jeanette and Christine, if she wants to of course."

Later in the autumn the dog Caesar died. They all were sad, especially Richard. After a while they bought a cat, an elegant longhaired sandcolored one. "She looks very much like my Aysha" Erik said and put a collar on her, which glimmered of jewels and gems. "How beautiful" Susan said. "Where does it come from?"- "It's from Persia. That, together with four precious stones, are the last of the wealth I brought from Persia, a long time ago." – "You have had so much adventures which you have never told us" his daugher said. "when will you do that?" – "I will write it all in a book for you to read. But it's a horrible story with many dark secrets. Perhaps I don't dare write it down."

Through Christine Erik bought a piece of land in Caen, France. Susan made the design and then he had a house built. Susan enjoyed doing this, as well as she liked play the piano and Erik again felt that she had inherited his talents. When Robert had visited them during Christmas Susan said "Robert has a schoolmate who is interested in all sorts of medicine. And they have a teacher who is skilled at it. Perhaps they could help you sometime? Remember you said you needed to renew the drug that delays you aging mixing it with something from a young person?" – "I don't want to involve people in unlawful business." – "But think of it."

For Christmas Erik brought his four precious stones to a jeweller and had four pieces of jewellery made: a silver hair-slide with a diamond for Susans black hair, a golden brooch with a glowing ruby for Eleanor, a silver necklace with a saphire pendant for Jeanette and golden earrings with emeralds for Christine. Charles promised Eleanor a job at her old newspaper for spring and Elisabeth told them that the opera in Vienna had asked her to give a guest performance in February.

Elisabeth and Erik had been in Vienna on their travel from Moscow to London, and luckily they still remembered her at the Vienna opera. She managed to time her performance with Michail's, who was going to dance in the Sleeping beauty and Swan lake. Her conscience haunted her making these arrangements, but she told herself that this would be their last meeting, then the affair was to come to an end.

In Vienna she met some of the persons from their visit fifteen years ago. It felt strange to return. The evening before her first performance there was a call at her room telephone. "Connecting" a female voice said and then she heard Michail "Welcome to Vienna!" – "Where are you calling from?" – "Quite near you. You are invited to supper tonight, room 203. Can you come?" Elisabeth laughed. She stayed in room 207. "I'd love to. At what time?" – "What about right now?" She felt her cheeks blush. Quickly she changed into a new dress and put on some makeup. Then she left her room , treading without a sound on the thick carpet. The door to 203 was unlocked. She saw a laid table with champagne, soft light – and Michail. "I wanted to compensate for the lack of comfort in the room where we last met" he said. She smiled nervously. Then he took her in his arms and she felt that she had longed for it. The supper and champagne made her tired. When he took her hand and led her towards the bedroom she hesitated. "I would like to conquer you again in more elegant surroundings" he said. "There was nothing wrong with last time" she said. – "I have so longed for this. Come!" They sunk into the soft bed. Again she felt the intoxication from last time. This was something subversive which turned her life upside down. "I don't think" she said much later " that I would have felt this way if I had stayed with you in Moscow. Then we would perhaps be devorced by now." – "Would you like to go on seing me like this, secretly?" – "I shouldn't see you at all. I led a good life.." – "but now you have to count me in. I'm not giving up easily this time. " –" I feel powerless. Will I have to do like Erik – move between two worlds? Charles doesn't suspect anything." – "I don't want to rush you."

They stayed for a week, giving their performances. During the days they rehearsed and they met by night. They had no time to go sightseeing. "That's as well" Michail said. "We shouldn't be seen together. Next time we can choose some place where we are not known." – "Who says there will be a next time?" Elisabeth answered. "I'm sure there is – if you don't decide to leave Charles." She turned her back against him in bed. "What about Milan?" he said. "Or Rome?" She drew a long breath. "Yes why not Rome?"


	4. Return of the Phantom?

**Return of the Phantom (1902)**

In spring the villa at Caen was finished. Erik inspected it together with Susan. "You can be proud of this" he said.

Later he invited Christine and Jeanette. At night, when Jeanette had gone to bed, Christine came to him. "You understand that I built this to be near you" he said softly. "I know" she said. "I will try to be here with you as much as I can. But I have responsibilities in Paris too."- "And I must split my time between London, Winston and this. But at least we will see each other more often than every five years. " He sat down on the bed and she sat beside him. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Now I have come home to you again" she whispered.

In May he sat alone in the house at Caen reading the Paris newspapers at breakfast. A small notice caught his eyes. "Has the Phantom returned to Opera populaire? According to reliable sources the once feared Phantom of the opera has began to haunt the opera again. Nothing violent, like last time about twenty years ago, has happened yet, but M. Lasalle, the manager, tells that unexplicable things have been happening. Side-screens have fallen down, spoky voices have been heard and M . Lasalle has received threatening letters. Do you remember the story?" and then there was a description of what happened twenty years ago. Erik read with growing worry. He felt uneasy and unpleasantly affected. Who was it to bring up this story again? Why hadn't Christine or Jeanette told him? It couldn't be his daugher behind this? He tried to continue his reading but it was difficult. Later Christine telephoned him. "I suppose you have read the newspaper?" – "Yes. What's all this about?" – "I know as little as you. Jeanette and I will come visit you tonight, if it's alright."- "Yes, come."

Later the same day they sat in the villa together. "How long have you known?" Erik asked. "Not long at all. There has been whisperings among the staff, but there always is every now and then. But last night I heard a stage hand say to another that now even the manager believes that the Phantom has awoken and M. Lasalle has obviously talked to the press." – "It is not you, Jeanette, playing some tricks?" – "No, I promise. I have thought of it, of course, but only as a joke." – "I don't like it. There must be someone who finds it amusing using the old story. Could you look into this some more?" – "I will speak to M. Lasalle" Christine said. "And will look around behind the scene." said Jeanette.

Jeanette looked everywhere in the opera house. She went down the hidden passages and found it very exciting using her father's old ways. She went down to the house. At first it looked as nobody had been there for quite a while, but then she saw traces in the dust. Suddenly she had the frightening thought that there really was a phantom down here, who had come for a late revenge because her father had lived here for so long. But she threw the thought away. Of course there must be someone using the situation. Someone who wanted to make the operahouse more interesting and more people to come..

One evening when she hid behind the scene she saw a person climbing high above the floor and after that a piece of the side-screen fell down behind the scene, not near enough to hurt anyone, but just to make a big noice and scare people. There were some screams, but the performance continued. Jeanette tried to see who the mystical person was, but couldn't. It didn't really matter. The important thing was who was behind all this.

Christine talked to M. Lasalle "You must understand that if it's the same Phantom as last time I feel threatened again. Will you not show me his letters?" M Lasalle refused. "He wants me to give him money and I must not show his letters to anyone. But I think you will be safe, countess. If the Phantom would like to abduct a woman again I think it would be one of our new young sopranos." Christine felt offended. She would get nothing out of him.

One night there was turmoil in the ladies dressing room. Arlette, one of the young singers, came running in screaming and gesturing. "I saw him! In my dressing room! The Phantom in his black robe and the mask! I was so frightened I just ran." – "How horrible!" – "Oh my God!" – "Why didn't you stay and take a look at him? Couldn't that have been exciting?" – "Yes" the other girls said. "What if he comes to me? Then I would take a good look at him." – "I don't think you would dare" Arlette said glumly, now regretting her sudden flight. "Perhaps he wants one of us" another of the girls said. "Not the countess de Chagny any more, she is too old." The gossip spread all around. "Well, whoever it is behind this, he has certainly got reactions" Christine said. "Time to talk to your father again."

They met at the villa. "The Phantom has become the talk of the town again" Christine said. "The papers write about it. And lots of people come to the Opera Populaire. The revenues have increased." – "And that fact should give us a hint who lies behind all this. But does he really dare? What if one of his helpers gets caught? And to let someone show himself as the Phantom .." – "He trusts the fear of people" Jeanette said. "But what about the curiosity? Surely any of the girls would attack him if he tried that one again."- "What are we to do?" Christine asked. "Not speak to M. Lasalle, anyway." – "He will be paid back in his own coin" Erik said slowly. "May the operahouse tremble. The real Phantom will resurrect again."

Erik hadn't been home in England and not been in contact with any of his family since the Phantom-story began. One evening as Eleanor read the newspaper she saw an article "Is the Phantom haunting the Paris opera again?" it said. "According to several Parisian newspapers the once feared Phantom, who haunted the Opera Populair in Paris, has come back. Several people claim to have seen him, among others the manager M. Lasalle." – "What on earth is this?" Eleanor exclaimed. "What has he now done?" – "What, mother?" Susan had entered without her mother noticing it. "Nothing" Eleanor said and tried to hide the paper. "Let me see" Susan grabbed the paper. She read the article. After the introduction there was a summary of what happened twenty years ago. "The Phantom of the opera was a freightening being living below the opera house. There was a scandal when a tenor was killed and the primadonna Christine Daée was abducted by the Phantom. The scandal was silenced." Susan looked at Eleanor "Mother, what haven't you told me? I know father lived below the opera house and it says that the Phantom had a disfigured face and a mask. And Christine Daée that's Jeanettes mother.."- "I can't talk to you about this. Your father must tell you himself. We thought you too young to know about this. I really don't want to know about his old life." – "All this has to do with countess de Chagny?" – "He has never forgotten her." – "But all this" Susan looked at the paper "what's this about?" – "I wonder too. I wish he could tell us something. I hope he hasn't returned to the opera?"

M. Lasalle was very pleased with himself. The presence of the Phantom on the opera had made the decreasing number of visitors increase again, and both he and the opera had got very good publicity. He had been a little afraid to revive the old legend, he wasn't sure if it was only a legend or if these things had really happened. The countess de Chagny was the largest problem. She was fully convinced that she once had been the prisoner of the Phantom and she could cause trouble. She was way too curious asking him about the letters. On the other hand she didn't seem afraid – which she should have been if the Phantom she thought was dead was still alive. He had told his co-workers, whom he absolutely trusted, not to show themselves to the countess or her daughter at any rate. It was soon time to let the story fade away.

One evening M. Lasalle sat in his private box watching Boheme. Christine sang Mimi against a younger tenor as Rodolphe. Her voice was still one of the best of the opera. Nothing had happened this night, which was for the best. Suddenly a murmur went through the audience. They all turned their eyes upwards and so did M. Lasalle. The big chandelier had begun to sway. Immediately he thought of the legend, in which the chandelier had fallen down over the audience. His men couldn't be this foolish, could they? It seemed people remembered the story because they were trying to rise from their seats and leave. Then the swaying stopped. M. Lasalle whiped the sweat from his forehead. He began to get nervous. The show went on and nothing more happened. In the last scene Christine looked at the dark corner of the stage and almost stopped singing. He looked at the same spot. Could he see a shadow moving?

After the performance Christine confronted him. "M. Lasalle, I have seen him again. Perhaps he wants to abduct me. Could you talk to the police?" – "Absolutely not, countess. I will speak to him and ask him what he wants. " Then he summoned his companions. "Did you touch the chandelier? Have you shown yourselved to the countess?" They both denied. "Could there be someone else using the legend? Look around if you see something." A thought hit his mind when he was alone. Could it be the real Phantom coming back for revenge, punishing him for not leaving him in peace? No, there were no ghosts. He decided to pay a visit to the underground house, but not alone.

The following afternoon the brought his companions with him and went down to the house. All was quiet and peaceful. Suddely the organ began to play, it sounded menacing and spooky so far below the surface. They entered the house and the music stopped. They looked everywhere and found nothing, but when they left the house the music started again. Lasalle thought it ghastly and returned hastily to his own domains. He sat in his office thinking. Was this an omen that he should stop all this? There was a knock at the door and Jeanette de Chagny entered. "M. Lasalle, now I have seen him too. He wore his mask and a dark cloak. Perhaps he now wants me instead of my mother?" – "Please be calm, miss de Chagny. I will look into this, I promise. Try not to be alone. Now leave me and let me think." He himself felt all but calm. Suddenly he heard a dark voice in the room. "How dare you, M. Lasalle, use my name for your purposes? How dare you wake the Phantom from his sleep?" The voice was hollow and he couldn't tell were it came from. Lasalle began to tremble. "Forgive me monsieur le Phantome. I wanted to use the old story. Was it so wrong? Will you now come and haunt us again?" – "I just want peace and quiet. If you stop abusing my name and my story I will not interfere." Lasalle raised his hands. "I promise." – "Good. " Then it was quiet. Lasalle noticed that he sweated and breathed heavily. Then he calmed down. Now this should end. He would not do anything more to annoy the Phantom. The more he thought of all this, the stranger it seemed. Later on he called his men and told them there should be no more incidents at the opera. He also assured the countess that he had spoken to the Phantom and made him stop his terrorising.

The next evening there was a performance with Christine as Aida and Lasalle attended it from his box. When looking at the audience he spotted a grayhaired man in tails with a mask covering half of his face. He jumped. It couldn't be… In the entreact he went behind the stage and asked one of the older singers "I saw an elderly masked man in the audience. Do you know who it is?" – "Yes, that's Mr Leroux from London. He is a composer and has been a member of the Covent Garden board. He is a friend of countess de Chagny." Lasalle felt his head spin. Could he have been fooled anyway? But he didn't dare to take any more chances. Everything was still to his favour. The reveues had increased and the Opera Populaire was popular again.

After the victory Erik, Christine and Jeanette returned to Caen. A telegram waited for him. "We are worried. What has happened? Please let me hear from you. Eleanor." – "Time to go home!" he said.

An upset Eleanor welcomed him home. "What's happening? We just read the papers and we are worried." – "It's all been solved now. The manager of the Opera Populair wanted to use the Phantom story to make the opera popular again. We put him in place." – "Who we?" – "Me, Christine and Jeanette." – "Your other family." – "Don't start this again. I know I was wrong not to tell you what happened. I couldn't know the papers here also wrote about it. What do you mean by 'we'?" – "Me and Susan. Yes, she read about it too, and now she wants the whole story. You better tell her. I think she can manage, considering what she already knows." Erik sighed. "It's as well. I have to call on the memories again, those I would like to forget the most. Then I will put them to rest."

Some days later Erik told Susan the whole story. "I will note hide from you that I still was evil then. My previous life had formed me. But Christine's love changed me. And now all these years have made me another person." – "Will you write about this?" – "Yes, I will write about my whole life soon."


	5. The split

**The split (1902)**

In early autumn Eleanor returned to her old newpaper and began working. Sometimes she and Charles sat together in the tea-room talking. "It's been a long time since you and I worked together" she said. "It was when we met the couple who was to be our destiny." – "Otherwise perhaps I had considered asking you to marry me" he said. "Really? You never said anything about that. But then Elisabeth came and swept you off your feet totally. I have never seen anyone so determined as you when you started courting her." Charles smiled. "Yes. And I got what I wanted." – "Are you still happy?" – "I think so. But lately she has seemed a little distracted. Do you think she has someone else? She went to Vienna by her own. She never travels alone otherwise." – "Have you spoken to her?" – "No, not really. She is as loving as before. But now she wants to go to Rome in September – alone. I admit I'm getting suspicious. Do you know anything?" – "No, nothing." Eleanor thought hastily at Michail, but is wasn't for her to say. "I'm not so very content myself" she said. "I feel like I'm married to a bigamist." – "Why do you say that?" – "Because Erik spends a lot of time at his French villa. And there he meets Christine." – "But you said you could live with that. " – "I know and I have to. Just now he is at home, anyway, writing his memoires." – "By the by, I have a job for you" Charles said. "for both of us. A know politician, Sir Roger Macahan, has returned after several years in Africa and will be a member of the new government. People have different views on him. I would like you to interview him." – "I'd love to."

Susan noticed that her father had begun to look a lot older and more tired than before and she was worried. She couldn't forget what Robert had told her. "Father, Robert has talked to Dr Levine" she said one day. "He has agreed to take some blood and spinal marrow from me so you can mix it with your drug. He has a small room in the basement of a hospital. Descreetly – for money of course." Erik looked at his daughter. "Do you really mean this? Could we trust him? Do you really dare?" She looked him right in the eye. "I want to do it for you, even if it's risky. You know the bonds between us are strong. I don't love anyone more than you. If you don't agree I'll do it anyway."-"And I can't stop you?" – "No."

Robert and his teacher were the only ones knowing about this except for Dr Levine. They decided on a date two weeks later.

In the meantime Eleanor and Charles had a first meeting with Sir Roger. He was a most polite and charming man with a deep brown sun tan. Charles referred to Eleanor as miss May, not revealing that she was married. "How nice, a female journaliste" he said. They talked for long and then decided to meet for more interviews. "I look forward to meeting you again, miss May" he said when they parted. "Miss May, eh?" Eleanor later commented to Charles. "Well yes, perhaps he will tell you more if he is a little interested in you?" Eleanor told her family at dinner about the famous man she was going to interview but Erik and Susan didn't show much interest. They had other things occupying there minds.

Eleanor met with Sir Roger a number of times during the coming weeks and learned a lot of politics. It was also clear that he was interested in her. Sometimes they had lunch. Once he wanted to invite her home for dinner. She refused politely.

Susan and Erik went to the hospital, quietly by the back door. A nurse met them. "It will not take long" she said. "Please wait here, mr Leroux. " Lots of thoughts crossed his mind while he waited. He had experienced much during his life – but this was the first time his daughter was involved. Much later the doctor came out. "Here are your specimens, mr Leroux" he said. "You take care of them. Your daughter is still sedated and must stay." Erik decided to bring the specimens home to his laboratory. There Eleanor waited. "Where have you been? Where is Susan?" – "She and Robert went to visit a friend. It was a sudden departure. They will come back in about a week." – "How strange. She didn't tell me. Where are you going now?" – "To meet some people. Don't wait up for me." He had bad consciene for lying to Eleanor, but he didn't want to worry her. On his return Susan was awake. "Did it go alright? Have you got the specimens?" – "Yes, I have." – "Have you used them yet?" –"No, I wanted to come back to you. How do you feel?" – "I can't feel a part of my back and I'm very tired. But it could be the sedation." She fell asleep. Erik stayed and so did the nurse and the doctor. In the morning Susan began to sweat and move uneasily. The doctor examined the wound and took her temperature. "An infection" he said. "I will give her something to stop the infection and hope that her body will take care of the rest." Erik dabbed his daughter's forehead. "Didn't you say there were no risks?" – "There are always risks" the doctor said. Erik waited during the day and there was no change. Now he was worried. 'If somethings happens to Susan I will never forgive myself' he thought. He telephoned his wife. "I'm sorry but I have to be away for a couple of days. Take care." The fever went up and Susan was delirious. Erik felt completely powerless. "I will test something new" the doctor said. "It's a new discovery. Extracts from mould fungus, they call it penicillin." He put some in the water for Susan to drink and also applied it around the wound. A few hours later the fever went down. In the afternoon Susan opened her eyes. "What happened?" she asked. "You were very ill. This whole thing almost cost you your life and I regret it so. " – "I don't. Not if you can use the specimens. " Susan recovered fast. They stayed at the hospital for a couple of days and then returned home. The girl was still tired and went to bed. "Why do you arrive at the same time?" Eleanor asked. "Susan was taken ill and I fetched her. Iv'e been to see some publishers. " He heard how it sounded hollow. "I think you behave strange the pair of you! But that's how it usually is. When you two are together, you leave me out." When Erik was sure Susan was alright, he came to Eleanor. "I don't mean to treat you badly. Please forgive me. But sometimes I don't want to tell you everything I do." – " I forgive you." She touched his cheek. "Why are you so wrinkled?" – "I haven' t taken my drug for a while, so I could better recall the details for my book. But I will soon make a new batch. Then I will be young again." She kissed him. "If you will be young for me too, and not only for her. " – "I haven't seen her for a while, think of that." –"That's true. Do you love me?" – "Always."

The next evening Erik went into his laboratory. Susan sneaked in. "How does it go?" – "Good I think. I'm destilling it now. Then I will mix it with my old ingredients. It's ready tomorrow." The next day he filled his bottles. "This will suffice for another eight years" he said. Some days later he could already see the results. His skin looked younger and the wrinkles were gone. "Can you see the difference?" he asked Eleanor at night, "Yes I can."

A few days later Robert came to visit. They sat in Susan's room and talked quietly. "How did it go? Did you manage?" – "Yes father got what he needed. But it was more difficult than I thought it would be. For a while it didn't look as if I should make it. But I did."- "And your mother didn't suspect anything?" At that moment Eleanor passed the door and heard the conversation. She frooze. What did they talk about? What had happened to Susan? At first she thought of asking the youngsters but then decided to ask Erik instead. She closed the door behind her. "What were you and Susan doing the days you were not at home? What did they take from her? Why was she ill?" Erik looked up. "How do you know?" – "I heard the children talk. What have you done to Susan?" – "A doctor helped me get specimens from her spinal marrow to add to my drug. She wanted it herself. There were some complications, but now she is alright again." – "She wanted it.." Eleanor's voice was cold as ice."She is just a child, whatever you say about her intelligence. You used your own child to prolong your life. You put my child's life at stake. For that I can never forgive you." She felt rage darken her rational thinking, but she didn't want to restrain herself. "You said nothing to me. What if she had died? If you had taken my child away from me? I do not forgive you!" She rushed off and slammed the door. Erik followed hastily. Susan and Robert came. "What's going on?" – "Your mother obviously heard you speaking and now she knows the truth. She is very upset."- "I can understand that" Susan said. "What will now happen?" – "I don't know." Erik tried to talk to Eleanor but she kept her door closed. "Leave me alone" she said.

The next day she went up to him pale and silent. "Will you listen to me now?" he said. "I have no excuse, except for that this will benefit us all – I mean that I will live longer. I know it will be hard for you to forgive me, but could you?" She looked at him. "No" she said. "I will move to Winston with Richard for the time being. Don't come after me. I want to be alone for a while." – "Are you leaving me?" He looked so sad that she gave a faint smile. "Only temporarily. But I feel I have to think things over. Susan can stay with you. You could go to Caen." She left the room. "Eleanor.." but he understood there was no use. If that was what she wanted…

Susan was startled. "Will she leave us?" she asked. "She will just go to Winston for a while. Sooner or later she will come back – I think."

"What about your work?" Charles said. "I could write from Winston. My interviews with Sir Roger are ready now."

Susan took sickness leave from school and ackompanied her father to Caen. She enjoyed living in the house she had planned. He wrote the story of his life and she read it, little by little. "What dreadful things you have experienced" she commented. One weekend Christine and Jeanette came to visit them. Christine and Susan hadn't met for several years. "You look beautiful, Susan, in a special way. You look very much like your father. I feel his presence in you." – "How come you are here?" she asked Erik. "Eleanor and I had a quarrel and she went to Winston. I will tell you later." – "It was about me" Susan said glumly. "Would you like to hear of my successes?" Jeanette asked to easen up the atmosphere.

Susan noticed the closeness between her father and Christine and for the first time she felt divided. She understood she should be on her mother's side, but at the same time she saw that he loved Christine and had always done so. She also understood how divided he must feel himself and that her mother's situation was not an easy one.

Later Erik explained the situation to Christine. "I would perhaps have reacted in the same way" she said. " She studied his face. "You do look younger. It worked." – "I did it to prolong my life and see my children grow up. But of course, it's not bad looking younger too." She crept into his bed. "How is Raoul these days?" he asked. "As usual. I think he has grown a little tired of me. Sometimes he is out and perhaps is having a good time with other women. I don't ask. I'm satisfied to be with you." She kissed him. "Are you?" When she peacefully slept with her head against his chest he couldn't help thinking of Eleanor. Why? Was it because they had parted in discord?

"Why will you go to Rome alone?" Charles asked. "Wouldn't it be nice if Robert and I could accompany you? " Elisabeth looked down. "No, not this time. This will be the last time I go alone, I promise. " – "Any special reason?" – "Please don't ask. I can't tell you now. Perhaps when I come back. This will be the last time." Charles dropped the topic. Elisabeth felt uneasy. But when she had set off on her journey she forgot her bad conscience. She had decided to make the most of this last meeting and postpone the unpleasant part for as long as possible.

Rome was lovely at this time of year. Elisabeth felt that she longed for Michail. They met in the evening at the hotel terrace and looked at the stars. Then they went to her room and once again she experienced the splendour and heat in their unification... But she knew it was enough, after this meeting it had to come to an end. Michail attended all her performances. During the day they went sightseeing and enjoyed fully their time together. "I want to live with you and be happy like this" he said. "But this is just an escape from our everyday lives, a vacation. Sapor it whilst you can." At the end of the week Michail said "I ask you once again, Elisabeth, live with me, anywhere you like. You could bring your son." – "I say no. I think you have understood that. This is our last meeting like this. I will not leave Charles and I don't want to live a double life." He took her hand. "You wouldn't be the woman I love if you didn't say that. You must choose. I understand and my heart is broken." She caressed his face and looked him in the eyes. "Is that true? You have the ability to adapt. I think you will find another woman in the end." He shook his head. "I have lived and experienced all that I need. I have loved you. Now I need no more." – "What do you mean?" – "I don't mean anything. Life is descending for Michail Nurinskij." – "Don't say so. We still have a couple of days." They sat by the river, they dined, they loved with sadness. "I will travel by boat from Brindisi to Odessa in the Black sea" he said. "It will be a nice trip. I will write to when I'm back in Moscow." After the goodbye Elisabeth returned to London, sad but at the same time content with her decision. Charles asked her about her trip but she just said "There will be no more travels by my own."

When Eleanor learned that Erik had left for Caen she returned to the apartment in London. She read about sir Roger, often quoted in the press for his new and controversial ideas. It came to her mind to contact him again. She wondered if he would find her obtrusive, but she need not to have worried. Once she had made contact he took the lead. The met several times, made walks in the park and he invited her for dinners at restaurants. One day she heard about a row outside the Ministry where he had been involved. Some people had threatened him and he barely escaped from being attacked. The same evening he called at her apartment. "To what do I owe this honor?" she asked. "I just want peace and quiet. The press haunts me, my colleagues haunt me." – "But I'm the press too. Are you not afraid of me? Would like something to drink – cognac?" – "Yes please. No, you mean calmness to me, where I can go to relax. Can't you feel that?" She didn't answer. Instead she asked about what had happened during the day and he told her. "You enjoy to live a dangerous life? Would you like to return to Africa?" – "Yes I would." He took her hand. "And I would like you to accompany me. You seem to be a woman who likes a little danger." She smiled. "I'm sorry I haven't been honest with you, sir Roger. Look around, what do you see?" He saw photographs on the piano, the children's things about the room, Erik's music on the wall. "Yes? Who are these people?" – "My family. I'm not miss May, I'm mrs Leroux, married with two children."- "What are you then doing here alone, posing as miss May?" – "I didn't say it, it was my colleague mr Hargate." She sat down and told him to sit as well. "I have temporarily left my husband" she said. "He is in France with our daughter – and perhaps with his mistress. Our son is with friends." – "And here you are all alone enjoying your freedom. Beware you don't fall into the hands of some ruthless character.." – "You are not such a man?" – "You never know – don't challenge me. How long will you stay away from your husband?" – "I don't know. We had a quarrel. But it feels strange to be apart." – "But he had another woman?" – "Yes. But she is married too. It's so complicated!" He rose. "Stay unmarried, that's the best" he said. "May I invite you to dinner at my place on Friday, miss May – no Eleanor? Do you dare to come?" – "I do, thank you." He kissed her hand before leaving. What had she started now?

One day Elisabeth saw a notice in the newspaper. "Storm over the Black sea. The other day a storm rised at the Black sea. Several ships came in distress and one of them sank. It was s/s Odessa going from Brindisi to Odessa. Most of the passangers were saved but some are still missing." She read with rising fear. Surely this was Michail's ship? What had happened to him? How would she know? She was still upset when Charles came home. In tears she told him everything, about the rendez-vous in Rome and that she now wondered if he perhaps had drowned. "Can you forgive me?" she said. He felt hurt and sad. "I knew it was something" he said "and I should perhaps have guessed. I saw his interest in you when they were visiting. But I didn't think you should.." – "I know, I didn't think so either. But now it's over anyway. I choose you and I stay with you. But what if something has happened to him?" – "I will telegraph the shipping company tomorrow. " He stroke her hair. "I will try to forgive you, but it may take a little time."

The answer from the shipping company wasn't encouraging. "Mr Nurinskij was on the passanger list but he has not been found. He might have drowned." Elisabeth was devastated. "He said something about that he felt his life was over. What if he killed himself?" – "Let's not hope so" Charles said trying to comfort his wife. Elisabeth sent a telegram to Anna begging her to let her know of any news. "We are all shocked" Anna answered.

Elisabeth went to see Eleanor. "It's so strange" she said. "Not long ago we were together" she assumpted that Eleanor knew it all "and now I don't know if he is alive. I can't say that I feel he's alive – in a way he said he had lived his life – but I can't accept that he is dead." – "There still might be hope." She hugged her friend. "What about you?" Elisabeth said. "Have you left Erik?" – "Not really. But perhaps I should. Now that he has his house in France he could live there for the rest of his life with her, his big love."- "But she is still married. Perhaps she doesn't want to. Perhaps he doesn't either. Of course he wants to live with you after all your years together. He could live for long with his drug." – "That's what started it all. He and Susan acted secretly behind my back." – "You must forgive. You never know what could happen.." Elisabeth felt her tears coming again. "Yes I think I will with time. But now it's good to be alone. Richard is still in Winston." – "And you?" – "Having a good time."- "Not behaving badly? Adding bad to worse?" – "No. Well perhaps a little.."

The same week Elisabeth and Charles went on a holiday trip to Scotland and Eleanor was alone. Friday evening she put much effort in looking beautiful and choose and elegant dress. She felt excited. Her host opened the door himself. "I gave my staff the evening off" he said "but my cook made dinner ready before leaving. " He was dressen in a khaki-coloured dress which brought out his sun tan. They had a good time, the food was excellent and the wine good. He was very spiritual. At dessert he said "Can you please call me Roger and I can say Eleanor?" – "That's fine. Cheers, Roger!" – "Cheers!" After dinner he showed her the apartment, filled with souvenirs. Sometimes he slightly touched her and she didn't mind. They took coffee in the sofa. "You have lots of souvenirs" she said. "And still I lack something" he said and leaned on to her. He touched her cheek and kissed her softly. It was tempting and exciting and she kissed him back. Then he kissed her harder and took her arm. She was frightened and drew back. "No, I don't want to." He didn't stop. "But you came here.." – "Yes, but just for dinner. I have to decide myself." She put her hand against his chest to push him away, but he was stronger and grabbed her arm again. Then there was a loud noice at the door and the doored cracked open. Three hooded men entered, holding guns. "Well, well, caught in the act in the middle of a tete-a-tete! Then we better take the lady as well." Eleanor was frightened and Roger put his arm around her. "What do you want?" he said sternly. "We have came to take you hostage. Perhaps punish you a little. Now, do as your'e told. Put on your coats." The men waved their weapons, so they obeyed." – "Don't make any trouble, or the lady suffers."

They were brought to a carriage with the curtains closed. "What does this mean?" Roger said angrily. "You are a man of great importance at the moment" one of the men answered. "You could be useful as a hostage. Maybe the lady too is of some importance? Or is she just a little pastime?" He touched Eleanors knee and Roger burst out "Leave her alone!" – "I'm a journalist" Eleanor said. "Perhaps I could help you instead." – "What do you know about politics? Here the sword is mightier than the pen."

The disappearance of sir Roger became big news. Soon the kidnappers informed about their terms, the release of som prisoners of war and a big amount of money. The papers wrote a lot. At first nobody knew the identity of the lady, but soon it was discovered she was a journalist called miss May, and then her paper reacted and sent for Charles, who quickly returned from their trip to Scotland. "What kind of man did you introduce her to?" Elisabeth asked her husband. "And I told her not to do something stupid." She thought of the time, long ago, when she herself had been taken hostage in New York. Then Erik saved her. "Has anyone told Erik?" she asked. There was no need, even the French papers wrote about the story. Erik took a quick farewell of Christine and he and Susan returned to London. "What has actually happened?" he asked Elisbeth and Charles. "Why was she visiting that Macahan fellow?" – "You could ask that" Elisabeth said acidly. "She tried to have a good time in her husband's absence – and so she got messed up in this. Do you remember when you saved me, long ago?" – "Yes. But now I can't do anything." He felt powerless. If she came back – then they had to reconsile. Erik talked to the government, who was in charge of the negiotions with the kidnappers. Soon it was known that Sir Roger's co-prisoner was mrs Erik Leroux.

Eleanor and Roger didn't suffer in any way, but they lived in constant fear of what would become of them. He tried to comfort her, holding his arm around her, but only in a friendly way since he now understood this was all she wanted. "You are strong and brave, Eleanor, just the way I like a woman. I could give up my principles and ask you to be my wife." – "But I'm already married and don't intend to divorce. My husband must be very worried".

Finally the negotiations were completed. The kidnappers were granted what they demanded, the war prisoners were released and the ransome was paid, although reluctantly. When it was all done, the leader of the kidnappers told their prisoners "Your stay here is over. Once we are gone, your location will be revealed and you will be saved." When they finally were alone, Eleanor burst into tears. Roger put his arms around he. "My poor Eleanor, you have been so brave. Now you don't want to see me any more, I trust." He kissed her wet lips. For a second the returned his kiss, then she wiped her wet face with a handkerchief. "I suppose not. It's a pity because you are very charming." He put his hand on her shoulder. "If I had known you felt that way we could have had a good time together." – "That's why I didn't tell you. Now I will go reconciliate with my husband."

They were released by policemen. Erik accompanied them, but they didn't talk much. After giving their statements to the police they were allowed to go home. In the apartment Susan, Richard, Elisabeth and Charles waited for them. "Was it exciting?" Richard asked. "Were they mean? Did they have guns?" His mother laughed relaxed. "I will tell you everthing in time. No, they were not mean. Yes, they had guns." Erik and Eleanor didn't talk much until they were alone. Then they both felt a little nervous. "You look young" she said. "the drug is good for you." – "I have been so worried" he said. "I thought that if you were unharmed nothing more should lie between us." She fell in his arms. "I forgive you" she said. "I will no longer be jealous if you see Christine." She wept softly. "I will not see her for a while" he said. "I love you. When I was in France I thought of you." They kissed. "What were you doing at Sir Roger's place?" he said after a while. "What did you do all the time together , imprisonned? I read about him, he has quite a reputation among the ladies."- "I rejected him, that's what I did, for your sake." – "At his apartment? You went there to reject him?" – "Silly. I was tempted and I rejected him. I think that's strong."- "I don't know. You have been a bit silly – and me too." They kissed again. "Let's not talk any more" he said and began unbutton her collar.

Susan and Richard were both happy that the whole family were together again. Elisabeth and Charled resumed their trip to Scotland. Eleanor had a postcard from sir Roger. "Thank you very much for your splendid company. I am now on a well deserved vacation."

When Elisabeth and Charles returned to their apartment after the visit to Scotland a letter awaited her. She recognised the handwriting and she almost fainted. She had to sit down. Her hands trembled as she tore away the envelop. Then she read "My dearest Elisabeth. I feel that it's time to let you hear from me again. I understand you have all been worried and thought me dead. I was dead, dead for the world. I will not return to Moscow or the life I lead there. Would you like to know what happened? I was prepared to accept that all had come to an end, that the world no longer needed me. But when I thought I had sunken into the depths, a wayward wind threw me ashore. A farmer found me alive and brought me to his farm. I asked him not to tell anyone about me. I hid, still weak, and was taken care of by the farmer and his daughter, Petruska. She is young and beautiful. I help them at the farm. You are the first to know I'm alive. I will write to Anna in due course. I will stay at the farm for a while. Petruska is now carrying my child. Life wasn't over for Michail Nurinskij. Take care!" Elisabeth began to laugh. But it was a hysterical laughter and soon she began to cry. "I needn't have worried about you Michail" she said. "Fate took care of you."

After a while Charles came in and found his wife still with the letter in her hand. "What is it?" – "It's from Michail. He's alive." She gave him the letter to read. "He is always the same. I hope he is finally happy now."


	6. Susan and Gregorij

**Family scenes (1903)**

During the autumn of 1902 Eleanor and Erik found their old love again. Susan noticed it and stopped worry about the intimacy she had noticed between her father and Christine. Susan shared her life between music and her interest in architecture. Gregorij wrote to ask if they couldn't come to visit in Moscow.

Anna wrote a letter to Elisabeth. "I'm so relieved that Michail survived. He and Petruschka are now married and he still works at his father-in-law's farm. Perhaps he will achieve something of his own. "

In spring Erik returned to Caen for a month's stay at the villa and Christine joined him. Eleanor held her promise and kept both eyes shut.

In June they all went to Moscow, and Susan and Gregorij enjoyed meeting again. Erik was very pleased to see his son, who was very talanted. Susan spent a great deal of time with Gregorij and noticed his interest in her. She said to her father "I don't think you should wait too long to tell him that he is your son, or he could be holding false hopes." Erik didn't understand and she explained. "I don't want him to discover one day that he has fallen in love with his half sister." –"But you are still young. He can't have serious feelings yet. There must be lot's of girls here in Moscow he could be interested in." – "Don't say I didn't warn you" Susan said.

Anna told them that Michail and Petruschka had got a son. "He sends his love to Elisabeth. He has not forgotten her."

__________

**Susan and Gregorij (1906)**

Susan began to give concerts, at first on a small scale and later for larger audiences, although not yet in the great concert halls. The critics wrote well about her. In the beginning her family attended her concerts to support her but later on she performed on her own. One evening she rose after the concert, bowing for the applause. She looked around the audience without seing anyone she knew. When she turned away to collect her sheets of music she felt someone coming up behind her. "Fabulous. You are very good" a voice said in Russian. She turned around. Beside her stood Gregorij. She almost didn't recognise him, it was three years since they met in Moscow and he had grown up. "Hello Susan" he said and took her hand. Instead of shaking it he kissed it. He looked very handsome, his hair was brown and his birth mark had fainted. His dark eyes looked at her intensely and reflected his admiration of her. "Gregorij" she said, out of breath. "I didn't know you were here. Are you alone?" – "I'm alone at the concert, yes. I saw your name and felt I must come to listen. Mother and I are in London. We came without telling you so I hope we are welcome." – "You always are, you know that. Father has a soft spot for Anna and he likes you too. We had a good time three years ago, didn't we?" – "Are you glad I came?" He sounded inquisitive and she didn't know what to say. "Of course. When will you come to our house?"- "Tomorrow I think. Mother will call your parents. Are you going home, or would you like to go out with me?" – "I'm sorry I am tired and would like to go home, if you don't mind" They parted at the door. "See you soon then" he said.

Whe Susan got home Erik had already spoken to Anna. "They will come for dinner tomorrow." Susan looked at her father. "Will you now tell Gregorij that he is your son?" – "I don't know. Anna and I discussed it. He doesn't know any other father than Igor. It might be a shock to him. She said he was very sensitive and easily upset. You don't know how he will react." Susan was serious. "It think it would be much worse if he didn't know. He has a right to know. Besides – it will be a still larger shock for him to realize I'm his sister – if he sees me in another way." – "You said that before. Do you still think it could be like that?" – "Now more than ever. But of course I just guess.." – Erik sighed. "I'll speak to Anna again."

"How nice there was a ball we could go to" Susan said to Gregorij, when they all were attending a party for old and new opera employees. She tried to make her voice cheerful, but she didn't yet know what mood he was in. He looked gloomy. She understood that he had to digest the knowledge that the man he had always looked upon as a father, was not in fact his biological father, but instead Erik Leroux was. He hid his thoughts about this deep inside him, not telling anyone. His mother had tried to speak with him, but he avoided her. Susan wanted to find out how he felt. "I like to dance with you, your'e such a good dancer" she said."If it's like before." – "I haven't changed" he said. "But you perhaps? Do you like to dance with Robert?" – "Sometimes. But he is still like a child to me. You are not. You are so grown up." – "So are you. But then I have never looked at you as a child."

They danced. Gregorij led and she followed, easily. After a while they danced slower and he held her more tight. Her thoughts began to float. 'It's good I know he is my brother, otherwise I could be attracted to him. He looks good. He has a strong personality, like me.' Suddenly she was aware of him physically. His hands, which before had supported her, now caressed her back, and his lips touched her cheek, then her neck. "What are you doing?" she whispered. "I can't understand" he said "why I should look upon you as a sister when we didn't grow up together and Igor is the only father I have known. You are the girl I have always thought of, you are so much more than everyone else. We suit each other." – "It's our common inheritage, can't you see?" She caressed his neck, softly. "I can't deny I feel something for you, right now. But I have always known it. I didn't mean to encourage you." – "The only thing we can't do is to mix our genes. But imagine what person that would be – a genius, superman.." – "a maniac" Susan said. He stopped dancing and kissed her. She was taken by surprise, then she drew back. "No, we can't. I must think of you only as my half brother. No use pretending. Stop thinking of me like that. Instead you should be proud of having me as your sister." They danced in silence. "Have you spoken with your mother?" – "Not much. The truth hit me. Besides thinking of myself I also thought of her. I felt he had abandoned her – but she said it was not like that. When I was born he had already met your mother. And father – Igor – took all responsibility for me. But now I understand Erik's interest in me. And this.." he touched his face.

"You have another half sister too, have you thought of that? Jeanette de Chagny, the primadonna of the Paris opera."- "Oh yes. She has yet another mother." – "But the circumstances were different. Christine de Chagny was always father's secret love." – "Whereas the liaison with my mother was only temporary. And I was just an accident?" – "I don't mean it like that. Father is proud of you, and me too. You will be famous."

Anna sat in front of the mirror. She lifted her long blond hair and let it fall back over her shoulders. Gregorij entered the room. "You are beautiful" he said. "Do you know what I'm thinking just now?" she said. "I think of the time you were created. Just that time.." – "You don't mean you still think of him? After all these years?" – "Not him – but that time. I remember how I felt. He was my first. You were a high price to pay. But my hopes for you have come true." She looked at him in the mirror. "Where you shocked to know the truth?" – "About Erik? Yes, I was, shocked and confused. But now I have accepted that I have two fathers – like Jeanette." – "But does it really matter? You will not see each other very often." – "He matters, his musicality, his talent. Which Susan also has. She is the problem" he said, looking at his hands."Now I can't court he, I can't love her when she is my sister." – "Don't let her influence your life. Be proud to have a wonderful sister like her, she will be famous too. You will find another girl to love, I'm sure of it."

This story will contine with further events in the lives of Susan, Gregorij, Erik, his loves and his friends. Please review so I can see if someone is interested to read about them.


	7. Susan in Moscow and travelling

**Susan (1907)**

Susan wasn't quite at ease with herself and was glad when she suddenly realised what she could do – she would visit the Ragavich family for Christmas. She was eighteen and felt old enough to travel alone. Anna thought it a god idea. "You are almost like a daughter to me" she wrote "and I know Gregorij will be pleased."

Susan was a little nervous to meet her half-brother again. She hoped he was no longer in love with her and that he could see her only as a sister. He was the first one to greet her, putting his hands around her waist and kissing her loudly on both cheeks the Russian way. "Welcome little sister" he said in Russian. "Good to see you again."- "I'm glad to hear you say that and I'm very pleased to be here." Anna also was at the station and the two women embraced each other.

The following evening there was a small party, one of many balls taking place during the holidays. Susan wore an elegant new white dress, which emphased her black hair, adorned by her diamond slide. "It's good I now see you as a sister" Gregorij said "otherwise I had been completely enchanted by you". Susan met Gregorij's younger sister Irina, now a sweet blond fifteen year old young lady. There were many people at the party, including young girls. "You are not interested in any of them?" Susan asked. "Not so far. But I see how the young men look at you." Suddenly she saw a man and asked Anna "Isn't that.." – Anna smiled "Yes it is. It's Michail. I didn't know he was in Moscow." He turned and she waved him to come to them. They hugged. "How nice to see you! When did you come to Moscow?" – "Just the other day" – "Are your family with you?" – "Unfortunately no. Petruschka wanted to stay at home with the children. She feels uncomfortable in a big city and among so many people." – "Everything good at your new farm?" – "Yes, and Vladimir is four and Elizaveta just one, so there is much job with the children too."

Susan studied Michail with interest. It was six years since she last saw him and he didn't look much older. The recent years must have had a calming influence on him. He was still handsome, wearing his suit with style, his hair still blond with some stains of gray. He had the air of an old bon vivant and charmer. How old could he be? Fiftyeight? His daughter's name was Elizaveta – so he hadn't forgotten Elisabeth. Now his eyes fell on her. "We have a visitor, as you see" Anna said. Susan felt his gaze. It revealed admiration and appreciation. She felt it almost physical and her skin heated. "Who is this beautiful lady? Don't tell me – it's Erik's daughter grown up, Susan Leroux. Last time I saw you you were a girl of twelve – now you are fully grown up." He kissed her hand. She trembled . At that moment she fully understood Elisabeth's feelings for this man. "Susan is also Gregorijs half-sister, and they like to see each other. " – "Gregorij is my godson" Michail said "what he likes, I like."

Later on Anna told Susan about Michail. "He hasn't been I Moscow for some years" she said. "Only once since he got married. I wonder what his visit now means. I hope he hasn't grown tired of rural life."- "Have you met his wife?"- "Yes, Gregorij and I went to see them once after the son was born. She is sweet and a little provincial. Loving – just what he needs."

Susan danced with Gregorij and some of the other young men at the party. Then Michail asked her to dance. "I have heard of you by rumours" she said. "And no good rumours, I believe. I loved Elisabeth once, you know that. I presume you heard the whole story, the boat accident and all." – "But before that you were a big charmer, flirting with many women.." – "Long time ago, I have settled now." They danced for a while. "You really are your father's daughter" he said. "I don't see so much of your mother in you." – "You were not real a friend of my father's." – "No, I wasn't. But I put Gregorij down on his credit, that I do. " – "What do you mean? Most people would think he should be ashamed of what he did." – "No, I appreciate him for it. I'm close to Anna – I know what he meant to her – and what the child meant." Susan smiled. "Everything has two sides." – "What are you doing?" – "Nothing for the time being – searching for myself."

Susan walzed though the parties, guided by Gregorij, Anna and Michail. Gregorij treated her like a sister and made no hints of anything else. Susan felt a strange excitement every time she saw Michail. They danced without talking and she couldn't interprete his feelings for her. She herself felt her body heat when he held her in the dances, and she realized she had not yet explored her own sexual feelings. Late one night, when most of the guests had left, and Susan didn't see anyone else she knew, she went for her cape. In the darkness of the wardrobe Michail waited for her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "I have to tell you this" he said in a low voice. "You fascinate me immensly. I can't take my eyes of you, I think of you all the time.." She felt soft in his arms. She leaned against him. "I'm attracted to you too" she said. "But I don't know if it's appropriate.." – "Forget that" he said. He caressed her arms, then he embraced her, put his hands around her face and kissed her. She gave in. She felt the heat in her body, a sexual excitement she had never experienced. Her arms were around his neck, she kissed him as he kissed her. She felt him touching her body, his hands squeezing her breasts. "Come home with me" he whispered. She stopped. "No. I can't. They will wonder were I go." She thought of the situation. Was she in love with this man? No. Did she want him? Yes. Or perhaps she was just a young woman searching for her first love experience – and he was certainly not the man she looked for, and aging charmer, tempting and forty years older than she. A married man going astray – and a friend of the people she was visiting. She could not fail them. "I can't come home with you" she said again. "But I want this, oh what I want this." She put her arms around his neck again and kissed him. He held her tight, then he kissed her cheek, her ear, her neck. "I respect you" he said. "We will see each other for the coming days. I will be satisfied with that. Now I'll escort you home. " He took her cape and put it around her, hugging her softly.

Susan enjoyed the rest of her stay. At dinners and at parties Michail managed to stay in the outskirts of the company, they looked at each other, giving no feelings away. At some rare opportunities they were alone together, sharing hungry kisses and caresses, no more. Gregorij asked her if she had a good time and she said yes. Anna asked Michail for how long he would stay and he told her he would return home after the holidays. She thought it strange that there had been no gossip about him and some beauty in town, which she had expected as he had come alone. Michail managed to get into Susan's room to say goodbye. She clinged on to him. "I so would have liked to make love to you" she said "but I know I shouldn't. I will remember you, and when Elisabeth speaks about you I know what she means." He took her face between his hands. "I will follow your progress at a distance" he said. "You have restrained me from making other mistakes. Now I return to my family." They kissed again. Just when they let go of each other Anna opened the door. "What are you two doing?" she exclaimed. Michail put a finger on his lips. "Shh. Don't be upset. Susan has stopped me from leaving the narrow road. I worship her. Now I'm going home. No shadow over her." Anna looked at them both. "I don't know what to believe. To me it looked like some kind of tete-a-tete." – "Trust me" he said and left the room. "What happened? Did he try to seduce you? Have you two abused my hospitality?" – "Nothing has happened" Susan said, lying for a good cause. "He surprised me. He is a big charmer, you know."

Susan returned home, satisfied with her trip. She paid a visit to Elisabeth. "I can say hello to you from Michail" she said. "He named his daughter after you. And I understand your love for him." Elisabeth wondered what had happened but Susan said nothing.

**Travelling**

Susan continued her musical studies, gave concerts and studied architechture, but she still felt something was missing in her life. She wanted to travel. She had a long conversation with her father. "I want to travel like you once did. See the world, experience things." – "I did it out of necessity. I had no-one to care for. And I am a man. You are a woman. Do you think you could manage?" Susan was sure of it. It took some effort to convince her mother, but finally she made the decision. Before she went she wrote a letter to Gregorij telling him of her plans. He sent her a long answer. "I don't like your travelling alone, but I understand you. I would have liked to do the same, but I must work on my carrier. All women I meet here are geese. I miss you! Come to Moscow when your trip is over." He also told her he had his own apartment. In August she set off to the East, boarding the Orient express.

She travelled to Eastern Europe, Greece, Turkey, Persia and India. She saw much, had many experiences and also saw much poverty. In India she got aquainted with a British family. She also met a young Indian man, Ranjih. They shared a few weeks of joy and happiness and it felt almost like love. But she knew they had no future and she continued her trip. She also visited Samarkand. When the winter was almost over she arrived in Moscow. She didn't want to meet the whole Ragavich family so she went looking for Gregorij's wasn't home but the landlord let her in. She strolled around the apartment, lit a fire in the stove and sat down in an armchair, where she fell asleep. When Gregorij returned home he saw the fire and slowly he entered his livingroom. He found her sitting by the fire, the flames reflecting in her sleeping features, and his heart began to swell. He realized it was love he felt, and not for a sister. He went up to her and kissed her on the cheek. She woke up and smiled at him. Their reunion was happy. Until late at night she told him everything about her travels. Then she asked him to tell her about himself. She noticed he looked at her in a special way and she felt a little strange. This was a new feeling. Then she said "I'm tired. Can I sleep on your couch?" – "No" he said and went closer to her "you sleep in the bed with me." He put his arms around her and she once again felt the physical excitement Michail's embraces had triggered in her, but this time she also felt the union of the soules. In a way this felt like the proper ending to a fantastic saga and it felt so good being in Gregorij's arms, knowing she was loved by him and that she loved him. She looked at him. This could only last for as long as they stayed in this apartment, before going out into reality again. He kissed her and she succumbed completely. She didn't hesitate when he led her to his bed.

The next morning he woke up and looked at the woman beside him. He knew this was what he had always longed for. He couldn't predict the future, this was a forbidden love. He couldn't make her live with that, even if he could. When she opened her eyes, at first she didn't understand were she was. She realized she was not alone and thought that she was perhaps back in India, having given in to Ranjih after all. Then she remembered. "Gregorij. My God, is it true? Did I do it?" – "Do you regret it?" She looked at him. "No, I don't. That's what's terrible. It's illegal – we could go to jail for this." – "Not as long as nobody knows. But I will do anything for you, Susan, I love you."- "I love you too. But we can't go on.." He kissed her. "It has existed in other cultures. The old Egyptians. It could not be so bad. Unless.." – "I know. Unless we give birth to a child, and that we will not. We can't tell anyone about this. I dare not go on with this." He put his hand on hers."Please don't think of these things now. Let's just live. Do you want to have a bath?"

She enjoyed a long bath and then they had breakfast. He asked more about her travels and she understood that he wanted to know if she had met any man on the way. "I had just one short romance" she said "but it was never serious. You are my first. What about you? Has there been anyone?" Gregorij took a piece of bread so that he didn't have to look at her. "I gave in to the pressure of my friends. You know, that a man must have some experience. I let Tatiana, a dancer about ten years older than me, teach me the mysteries of love. But soon I grew tired of her. My sister tells me all the girls are fighting for an opportunity to kiss me. Then they complain – I show no feelings at all." They went back to the bedroom. "Could we stay here all day?" she asked. "I don't want to go back to reality, not yet. Then I will loose you."-"I can telephone and say I'm ill and woun't come in today." She crawled back into the bed as he rang. Then she said "Then come to me again, my brother, my love – let us forget reality for yet another while."

In the evening she said "Can we go to the opera?" They went to a restaurant and then to the opera, and they met nobody they knew. Susan enjoyed being out together with Gregorij. When they returned to the apartment she looked around again. "I would like to live like this with you, but it can't ever be possible. I will be living my life as a spinster, forsworn only to music. Now I could compose." – "And I?" – "You will be one of the world's most famous dancers and all women will fall at your feet. You will choose one of them and eventually make Anna a grandmother."- "How can you think so far ahead? I don't know how to coop with the nearest future." – "Your nearest future you will share with me now. Come and sleep, you need that."

The next day was Susan's third day in Moscow and she felt she had to contact the others."Let's say I arrived yesterday" she said. "I have to write home and tell them I have arrived. Then I could stay here for at least a week. I suppose I can't stay with you but we will still see each other." He took her in his arms. "Stay as long as you like. Then at least I will be sure. If you go home I can't be sure you don't find anyone else." – "You don't trust me?" – "Yes. But time changes. I have no right to stop you from marrying some day." – "I don't think like that now. No, I want to compose. My father expects me to, and so do I."

Gregorij telephoned his parents and then he said "Mother wants us to come at once. Are you ready?"- "Ready". They kissed again like two lovers on their way to part and then left the apartment.

Anna greeted Susan with open arms and asked about her trip. She wondered why Susan had first come to Gregorij and Susan said it was natural she wanted to see her brother first.

Susan had to tell her story several times. She telegraphed her parents and she stayed with the Ragavich family for a week. Gregorij also stayed with his parents during the time. "Have you told Michail about my trip?" she asked Anna. "Yes I have, and he was very interested. I must tell you came home alright. You became friends?" Susan nodded. She felt no longing for him anymore. Now the problem was another. How would Gregorij take their imminent parting?"

Eleanor and Erik wanted their daughter to come home and she set a date. Before she left they met once more in Gregorij's apartment. "It's all my fault" she said. "If I hadn't come to you first this would never had happened. We could have continued seeing each others as friends." – "You know this is not true. I have always loved you and will neve love anybody else."- "Don't say that." She put her arms around his neck. "You can't burden my conscience with the prospect that you will be unhappy all your life. If we are separated for a while we will get a perspective of this whole thing." – "Can I come and visit you?" – "Not too soon. This summer perhaps." They spent their last hours together in his apartment and then Gregorij and his mother accompanied Susan to the railway station.

Susan returned home and entertained her family with stories from her travels. "Do you feel more in harmony with yourself?" her father asked. "I don't really know. But I feel inspired to compose." She moved to an apartment of her own and bought a piano. Inspired by all country music she had heard during her travels, she began to compose.

One day as she sat at the piano, letting herself float away in the music, the thought of Gregorij hit her, and suddenly the tunes were strong and almost disharmonic, revealing pain and longing. She let herself drown in the music and didn't hear the door opening. "This music reminds me of something I once wrote" her father said. "When I was very unhappy longing for Christine. Those are strong feelings. You might hide things from us by not telling them, but your music can never lie to me. For whom do you have these feelings?" – "Oh, daddy" she said, wanting to share what filled her. He sat down beside her. "The two of us are of the same soul" he said "We understand each other. We love each other." – "There are three of us of the same soul" she whispered "if you love him like I do". It took a while for Erik to understand. "Him? But I don't really know him. You said you didn't love him that way.." – "But now I do." Erik lowered his head. "And it's my fault." – "Don't say so." – "What are you going to do?"- "We must get over it. I - by composing. He – I don't know. He seems possessed by me. But I hope he will get over it too – otherwise we will be unhappy all our lives. " Erik rose and touched his daughter's hair. "Go on composing, my child. The best music always comes from unhappiness." – "But we were not unhappy, we were very happy too."- "Don't tell anyone about this. Not even your mother." – "No" she said. "Would you like to listen to a piece inspired in Persia?"- "I would love to."


End file.
